Lid

ABSTRACT

A lid is provided for covering or sealing a cup by engaging a rim flange of the cup. The lid includes a top portion and an annular side plate which extends downwardly from periphery of the top portion. The plate is formed with a hole. An engagement plate is disposed on the side plate. A bottom edge of the engagement plate is connected to the plate. A top edge of the engagement plate stretches upwardly along the hole, so that the engagement plate is located in the hole. The plates are flexible. As such, the engagement plate can be pressed and bent inwardly when the lid covers a cup. The engagement plate would then engage with the rim flange of the cup so as to enhance engagement of the lid and the cup.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is a CIP of application Ser. No. 13/419,568, filedMar. 14, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional lid is prepared with annular inner protruding portion atlower periphery thereof. The protruding portion is able to abut againstannular rim flange of a cup.

However, the cup or the rim flange may be deformed when the cup isgrabbed by someone. As a result, the cup is probably dropped out fromthe protruding portion. Moreover, each batch of cups has its ownparticular specifications established by the suppliers. The standardsfor the size, the thickness, the height, and the diameter of the rimflanges of cups are different from provider to provider. If the lid isnot fit well with the cup, the cup can be dropped out from the lideasily.

To enhance engagement of the lid and the cup, lid, as disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,538,154, is provided with inwardly extending panels whichfunctions as barbs. The panel is able to engage the rim flange of thecup automatically when the lid covers on the cup.

However, engagement of the lid provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,154 is sofirm that user can hardly remove the lid when he/she wants to. Forremoving the lid, cutting lines or projecting tab is provided togetherwith the panel. Consequently, the projecting tab would complicate thelid making the lid difficult to be produced, and the cutting line woulddamage structure of the lid making the lid fractured once the lid isremoved.

Besides, U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,113 disclosed a lid having a similarstructure to U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,154. Each of the two disclosures has atongue which has been protruded above the plane of the side plateinward. The tongue tends to protrude inward. Besides, the tongue has asame thickness to the thickness of the side plate. Thus, the tongue isquite difficult to be deformed or bent. As a result, installing orremoving the lid becomes difficult.

The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at leastmitigate the above mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a lid which isable to cover and engage a cup stably.

To achieve the above and other objects, a lid of the present inventionincludes a top portion, an annular side plate, and at least anengagement portion.

The annular side plate extends downwardly from a periphery of the topportion. An axial direction and a radial direction perpendicular to theaxial direction are defined by the side plate. The side plate is formedwith at least a hole.

The engagement portion is disposed on the side plate. The engagementportion comprises an engagement plate. The engagement plate has a bottomedge and a top edge. The bottom edge extends from and is connected tothe side plate. The engagement plate extends from the bottom edgeupwardly along the hole so that the engagement plate is received in thehole. The engagement plate is bendable. An engagement space is definedin middle of the top portion, the side plate, and the top edge of theengagement plate when the engagement plate is bent inwardly along theradial direction.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferredembodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a combination drawing showing a cup and a lid of a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a cup and a lid of a first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a profile showing a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial enlargement drawing of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a profile showing a cup and a lid of a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial enlargement drawing of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a pressing condition of a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing an engagement condition of a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a combination drawing showing an engagement condition of a cupand a lid of a first embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 for a first embodiment of the presentinvention. The lid of the present embodiment is provided for coveringand engaging a cup 10. The cup 10 has a body 11 and a rim flange 12. Thebody 11 is formed cylindrically with an upper opening. The rim flange 12is disposed on the body and surrounds the upper opening annularly. Thecup 10 may be made of paper, plastic, or other suitable material.

In the present embodiment, the lid includes a top portion 20, an annularside plate 30, and three engagement portions. The top portion 20 isadapted for covering upon the rim flange 12 and covering the upperopening of the cup 10. The top portion 20 may be formed with suitablegrooves, protrusions, or openings for user to drink directly or to drinkwith a straw. Preferably, the top portion 20 is formed with anadditional annular inner plate 21 extending downwardly therefrom. Theinner plate 21 is adapted for abutting against inner surface of the cup10 or inner periphery of the rim flange 12. In other possibleembodiments of the present invention, the function of the inner plate 21may be provided directly by grooved or curved top portion 20.

The annular side plate 30 stretches and extends downwardly fromperiphery of the top portion 20. The inner plate 21 is then located inthe side plate 30. An axial direction and a radial direction are definedby the annular side plate 30. The radial direction is perpendicular tothe axial direction. The side plate 30 is further formed with threeholes. Preferably, the side plate 30 is further formed with threeextension portions 31 protruding downwardly from where the holes are.Additionally, the side plate may be formed with a protruding portion 32protruding inwardly therefrom. The protruding portion 32 is utilized forabutting against lower periphery of the rim flange 12.

The engagement portions are equidistantly disposed on the side plate 30.Each engagement portion includes an engagement plate 41 which has abottom edge and a top edge. The bottom edge extends from and isconnected to the side plate 30. The engagement plate 41 extends from thebottom edge upwardly along the hole. The engagement plate 41 is thenreceived in the hole. Thus, a U-shaped gap is defined by the engagementplate 41 and the side plate 30. Consequently, the side plate 30, thehole, and the engagement plate 41 may be prepared by cutting an intactannular plate so that the side plate 30 and the engagement plate 41 arelocated at a same plane. That is, the engagement plate 41 does notprotrude above the plane of the side plate 30 before being pressed.Moreover, a thickness of the side plate 30 is larger than a thickness ofthe engagement plate 41 so that the engagement plate 41 is properlydeformable for pressing. In the present embodiment, the engagement plate41 is formed with a protrusion 411 and a notch 412. The protrusion 411protrudes radially outwardly from the top edge of the engagement plate41, so that the protrusion 411 is located at the top edge. Preferably,the protrusion 411 is formed as a rib extending along the top edge.Alternatively, the protrusion 411 may protrude radially inwardly fromthe top edge. The notch 412 is recessed downwardly from the top edge ofthe engagement plate 41. The notch 412 may be formed in V-shaped notch,as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or in semicircular notch. The engagementplate 41 and the side plate 30 are bendable. The engagement plate 41 canbe bent inwardly along the radial direction. Thus, an engagement space43 is defined in middle of the top portion 20, the side plate 30, andthe top edge of the engagement plate 41, as shown in FIG. 4.

In the present embodiment, there are three groups of extension portion31, hole, and engagement portion. In other possible embodiments of thepresent invention, one or more extension portions 31, holes, andengagement portions can be prepared for the similar function.

Please refer to FIG. 5. Accordingly, the lid is adapted for covering acup 10. The inner plate 21, the top portion 20, the side plate 30, andthe protruding portion 32 engage and clutch at the rim flange 12.Preliminary engagement of the lid and the cup 10 is achieved, as shownin FIG. 6. Please refer to FIGS. 7 and 8. The engagement plate 41 isthen pressed inwardly so that the engagement plate 41 is slightlydeformed and bent. The engagement plate 41 would finally abut againstboth of the rim flange 12 and the body 11. Thus, the rim flange 12 isfirmly engaged by the lid. Practically, the engagement plate 41 may becurved or bent to firmly abut against the rim flange 12.

In engaging and clutching the rim flange 12, the engagement plate 41 isbent inwardly. The notch 412 is provided for increasing flexibility ofthe engagement plate 41, so that the engagement plate 41 can be bent toengage the rim flange 12 easily. In addition, the protrusion 411 isprovided for thickening the top edge of the engagement plate 41.Insertion of the top edge into the seam between the rim flange 12 andthe body 11 is prevented, so that the top edge is kept dismountable fromthe body 11 or from the cup 10.

In the present invention, the lid engages the cup 10 by clutching therim flange 12. The engagement plate functions as claw to firmly clutchthe rim flange. Even specifications of the rim flange are slightlychanged, the lid can still engage with the cup well.

Please refer to FIG. 9. Additionally, when the engagement plate 41engages the rim flange 12, only the central portion of the engagementplate 41 abuts against the body 11 since curvature of the top edge isgreater than curvature of the bottom edge. User can pull the engagementplate 41 from two sides of the engagement plate 41 for removing the lid.Thus, lid removing can be achieved easily without destroying the lid.

The extension portions 31 of the side plate 30 are provided for user tofacilitating lid removing. User can hold the extension portion and pullthe extension portion outwardly. Thus, the engagement plate would bedrawn back away from the body 11 so as to break the engagementrelationship. Lid removing is then facilitated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lid, utilized for covering a cup, the lidcomprising: a top portion; an annular side plate, extending downwardlyfrom a periphery of the top portion, an axial direction and a radialdirection perpendicular to the axial direction being defined by the sideplate, the side plate being formed with at least a hole; at least anengagement portion, disposed on the side plate, the engagement portioncomprising an engagement plate, the engagement plate having a bottomedge and a top edge, the bottom edge extending from and being connectedto the side plate, the engagement plate extending from the bottom edgeupwardly along the hole so that the engagement plate is received in thehole, the engagement plate and the side plate being located at a sameplane, the engagement plate being bendable, an engagement space beingdefined in middle of the top portion, the side plate, and the top edgeof the engagement plate when the engagement plate is bent inwardly alongthe radial direction; wherein a thickness of the side plate is largerthan a thickness of the engagement plate, the engagement plate isdeformable.
 2. The lid of claim 1, wherein the engagement plate isformed with a protrusion protruding radially outwardly, the protrusionis located at the top edge of the engagement plate.
 3. The lid of claim1, wherein the side plate has at least an extension portion protrudingdownwardly from where the bottom edge of the engagement plate extends.4. The lid of claim 2, wherein the side plate has at least an extensionportion protruding downwardly from where the bottom edge of theengagement plate extends.
 5. The lid of claim 1, wherein a U-shaped gapis defined by the engagement plate and the side plate.
 6. The lid ofclaim 1, wherein the engagement plate is formed with a notch recesseddownwardly from the top edge of the engagement plate.